Disciple’s Guidebook

In class today we had a review for the test tomorrow.  The students were given a typed test review to take home and use for their further studies.  The review included:  knowing Genesis 1:31;  Rev. 4:11;  and, Genesis 1:26.  As well as knowing the five reasons why it is important to know that creation is good, the five principles of creation, and being able to explain them.  They were also asked to know why the human person is important.  And, finally, the students were asked to know the Twelve Tribes of Israel and the Twelve Apostles, and the biblical references for the lists of these two groups.  I hope all the students do well tomorrow.  

The students were told of a quiz tomorrow morning (Tuesday) on the full verse of Revelation 4:11.  The quiz will happen immediately after prayer.  The students will have a test review after the quiz.  The first test is this Wednesday, February 6.  What a way to start Lent! 

After prayer today, the tribes reviewed the list of patriarchs and apostles.  Each tribe gave a presentation on their patron apostle.  After the presentations, we discussed the human person as the summit of creation.  The students were asked to write the following points in their disciple’s guidebook:  1)  The human person is the summit of creation;  2)  he has his own unique image of God;  3)  He is not a something, but a someone;  4)  He was created by God and for God;  5)  He has a vocation to love;  6)  God offers him friendship.  After this lesson, the students were told of an announced quiz tomorrow morning on Revelation 4:11. 

Today the class was told that their first test will be on Wednesday, February 6.  The students will need to know the three Bible verses we’ve reviewed, the 12 patriarchs, 12 apostles, five reasons why it is important to know that creation is good, the five principles of creation, and the arguments for the dignity of the human person (which will be discussed in greater length on Monday).  We’ll review for the test together on Tuesday. 

Today the class did a great job with the prayers from their prayer book.  We seem to be getting the hang of it.  After prayer, we reviewed the Twelve Tribes of Israel and the Twelve Apostles.  The small groups (”tribes”) presented information on their Old Testament patriarch, and had some group time to choose an apostle as a patron, elect a leader, and discuss a symbol for the group.  The groups were asked to research their patron apostle and be ready to present on him this coming Monday.

Before class today, it was a blessing to see the seventh grade serve and assist in the School Mass.  They all did a great job!  In class, we reviewed the past few days on creation, and discussed the dignity of the human person as the summit of creation.  We’ll be returning to this subject soon.  It’ll need some more development.  The students were asked to write Genesis 1:26 in their “disciple’s guidebook”:  ”Then God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness…”.  After this brief lesson, the class was divided up into three small groups.  The groups were asked to take a name from one of the Twelve Tribes of Israel.  The class “tribes” are currently:  Benjamin, Naphtali, and Zebulun.  Tomorrow the tribes are suppose to explain something of the biblical figure of whom the Old Testament tribe was named.  The tribes will rotate their membership in March.  The goal of the tribes is to foster group work, leadership, service, and teamwork.  The students were encouraged to study their notebooks, and memorize the three verses of Scripture they have received:   Genesis 1:31;  Revelation 4:11;  and, Genesis 1:26.    

In class today we started with our daily prayers from the student’s prayer book.  It’s getting better, but we still have some work to do.  After prayer, we reviewed the five benefits of knowing why creation is good (from yesterday’s class).  After this review, the class was taught the Five Principles of Creation:  1)  God creates by wisdom and love;  2) God creates “out of nothing”;  3)  God creates an ordered and good world;  4)  God transcends creation and is present to it;  5)  God upholds and sustains creation.  Each of the principles was discussed, and the students were asked to write them in their “disciple’s guidebook.”  The students were told to review and be familiar with the five reasons and five principles.  Further, they were asked to memorize Revelation 4:11, which reads:  ”For you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”  At the end of class, there was a little free time and so some of the students entertained the group with various singing and dancing skills. 

Today, the class attempted to pray from the student’s prayer book.  It went well, but we have some room for improvement.  After our prayer, the students had their quiz on Genesis 1:31.  After the quiz, we continued our discussion on creation.  The students were asked to write in their “disciple’s guidebook” the question:  Why is it important that we know that creation is good?  We discussed the following answers:  1) It gives us a foundation;  2) It helps us to know the true God;  3) It helps us to understand our dignity;  4)  It encourages us to do good;  5)  It frees us from false views which lessen who we are.  The students were asked to write these reasons in their “disciple’s guidebook.”  Our lesson ended a little early today so that the students who were leading a prayer at the School Rosary could go and get ready.

The students were informed that on Monday morning there will be a quiz on Genesis 1:31.  The students will need to have the verse and citation memorized.

Today in class we started by reviewing and praying the Liturgy of the Hours from the students’ prayer books.  It went well, but we’ll need to work on it for a little while.  After prayer, we began to discuss our first topic together:  the goodness of creation.  The students were asked to write Genesis 1:31 in their “Disciple’s Notebook”:  ”And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.”  We began to discuss the creation account in Genesis, and how the story is revolutionary to our fallen world.  The ancient people thought that the world was created and ruled by warring spirits, fighting gods, and bad omens.  Modern people can sometimes think that the world was created only by chance, randomness, or evolutionary natural selection and mutation.  God breaks through these empty explanations and begins by telling us that creation is good.  That it has a plan and a purpose.  We ran out of time in the midst of this explanation, but we’ll pick things up on Monday.  Their homework assignment was to memorize Genesis 1:31.